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THE CARRARA MEDALS. 

OBVERSES. 



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9 



THE 



CARRARA MEDALS, 



WITH NOTICES 



OF THE 



DUKES OF PADUA. WHOSE EFFIGIES THEY BEAR. 



BY 

W. T. R. MARVIN. 

w 

MEMBER OF THE BOSTON NUMISMATIC SOCIETY, THE BOSTON ANTIQUARIAN CLUB, HON. MEMBER OF 

THE AMERICAN NUMISMATIC AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, 

COR. MEMBER OF THE NUMISMATIC AND ANTIQUARIAN 

SOCIETY OF PHILADELPHIA, ETC., ETC. 



BOSTON: 

PRIVATELY PRINTED. 

1880. 



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The following descriptions of the Carrara Medals are reprinted, with some additions and a 
few slight changes, from the American journal of Numismatics for January, 1880. 



FIFTY COPIES PRINTED. 




THE CARRARA MEDALS. 




HE Carrara Medals have always been regarded with a peculiar 
interest by collectors, and there are probably but very few 
complete sets in American cabinets. The illustrations which 
accompany this paper were made from a series in the collection of Mr. 
Thomas Warner, of Cohocton, N.Y., though the limits of the page make 
it necessary to reduce the apparent size of the pieces. The originals 
measure from 44 to 46 nearly, American scale. They were probably 
struck in the early part of the fifteenth century, and while the artist who 
cut them is not certainly known, they have generally been attributed to 
Marco Sesto. By some numismatists they are believed to have been 
cast, and then carefully finished by tooling. However this may be, they 
are among the earliest productions of the Renaissance in Italy, and 
possess an interest of their own for that reason, aside from their historic 
value. They are classed among the so-called " restored Medals " by Bol- 
zenthal, who says " many of them are thought to have been caused to be 
struck in the sixteenth century, by the Papafava family, which sprang from 
the house of Carrara." * 

For some reason which I have been unable to discover, Francesco I. 
was styled " Grand Master" in the catalogue of a sale some years ago, when 
a partial set of these Medals was first offered to American collectors, and on 
that account they have occasionally been classed among Masonics, but 
erroneously, as was shown by the writer, in the American Journal of 
Numismatics, Vol. X, p. 94. The name does not appear among the 

* See American Journal of Numismatics, Vol. XIII. , p. 4. 



4 THE CARRARA MEDALS. 

Grand Masters of the Knights of St. John, and the Medals have nothing 
whatever to do with Freemasonry. 

Although bearing various dates, they were doubtless all struck about 
the same time, — probably by some descendant of the family, and perhaps 
by order of Marsiglio, the son of the last duke of his name, Francis II., — 
to commemorate the fame and unhappy fortunes of his ancestors. The 
legends on the Medals were kindly sent me by Mr. Warner. 

The family whose principal members they commemorate, were promi- 
nent in the quarrels which form so large a part of the history of the petty 
republics and cities of Italy, and first acquired power in the early part of the 
fourteenth century. In the long continued strife between the Guelph and 
Ghibellines, they generally espoused the side of the former ; and though the 
distinctive grounds of their dispute had long passed away, the old names con- 
tinued to be used through the times of the earlier Dukes of Padua, which was 
the title borne by the Carraras. With the powerful family of the Visconti they 
were by turns friends and foes,' and from their enmity and that of Venice, at 
last received a final blow from which they never recovered. 

For most of the facts relating to their history I am indebted to Hoeffer's 
" Nouvelle Biographie Universelle," and to the Cyclopedia of Pierre Larousse. 
For accounts of the quarrels in which they were engaged, see also Sismondi's 
Histoire des Republiques Italiennes, and Daru's Histoire de la Republique de 
Venise. 

GIACOMO— IL GRANDE. 

Obv. Bust to right, draped ; an oriental cap tied under the chin, iacobvs 
grandis de carraria • i • patavii • d • an • Mcccxvin • Rev. The arms of 
the Carrara family ; the helmet, which has the visor closed, is facing, and 
bears a crest, similar to the device on the arms, from which fall on either 
side of the shield, branches of ivy (?) • obut ann • do • mccc • xxnn • Size 
45. (Figure 1.) 

Giacomo or James, first Duke of Padua, is considered the founder of his family : 
having overturned the magistracy of the city, he proclaimed himself Duke, in 13 18, and 
the title was confirmed to his successors by treaty in 1338. Another James, just a 
century before, had, with Azzo of Este, unsuccessfully attacked the city. He was in 
some sense a vassal of Frederic, Duke of Austria, from whom he received aid against 
his life-long rival, Cane de la Scala, Duke of Verona. He died Nov. 21, 1324. 



THE CARRARA MEDALS. 5 

NICOLO. 

Obv. Bust to left, wearing a banded turban and a closed vest, nicolavs 
de carraria • ii • territorii • pat • d • an • MDCCCXxnii • Rev. Arms some- 
vvhat similar to the preceding : the helmet and shield partly concealed by 
drapery, opened and turned back, along the border of which is a chain, 
and the crest, which resembles the charges on the arms, is placed between 
two horns, obit • anno • do • mcccxxvi • Size 44. (Figure 2.) 

This nobleman was a brother of the preceding, and for a time reigned jointly with 
Marsiglio, though represented on the Medal as governing the territory, not the city. 
He finally quarrelled with the latter, because of the oppressions of some German 
allies of Nicolo's, and was dethroned. 

MARSIGLIO. 

Obv. Bust to right in flowing cowl ; the vest buttoned on the shoulder. 
marsilivs maior de car • ii • pat • d • ann . mccc . xxini • Rev. Arms cov- 
ered with ivy, the shield and helmet similar to the preceding ; the latter 
has a bear above it as a crest. The drooping leaves around it are laden 
with flowers, similar to the device on the arms, obiit • ann • mcccxxxviii • 
die • xxi • martii • Size 44. (Figure 3.) 

Marsiglio was the nephew of Giacomo. Having made an enemy of his uncle 
Nicolo, as already mentioned, he sought a reconciliation with Cane de la Scala, and 
finally transferred to him the sovereignty of Padua. Some time after, he quarrelled 
with Albert, the son of Cane, and threw himself into the arms of the Venetians and 
Florentines, who enabled him to regain his power August 7, 1337. He was killed 
March 21, 1338, as appears on the Medal, though according to other authorities the 
date is given as September 22. 

UBERTINO. 

Obv. Bust facing left, the head covered with flowing drapery ; the vest 
closed, with high collar buttoned on the side of the throat, vbertinvs de 
charraria tercivs • d • padvae • Rev. Arms similar to the last, with 
helmet and shield partly covered with drapery, but instead of the crest 
and horns, a winged bust with satyr-head, having goat's horns and ears. 
obiit • ann • mcccxlv • die • xxviui • martii • Size 44. (Figure 4.) 

Ubertino was a nephew (one authority says he was a distant cousin) of Marsiglio, 
whom he succeeded, and was distinguished only for his cruelties and debaucheries. His 



6 THE CARRARA MEDALS. 

claims were recognized by Marsiglio de la Scala, to whose family his uncle had trans- 
ferred the Seigniory of Padua, and the sovereignty of the city was restored to him, 
thereby greatly offending Venice. 

MARSIGLIETTO. 

Obv. Bust, three-quarters facing to right ; the top of the head bare, with 
drapery at the side fastened by a band across the forehead, the vest closely 
buttoned at the throat, marsilietvs papafava de car • mi ■ pat • d • ann • 
mcccxlv • Rev. Arms, with helmet and shield draped with leaves as on 
I. and III. : the crest is a bear. The shield is quartered, having the 
Carrara arms in i and 4, and a lion rampant in 2 and 3. interfect • an 
mcccxlv • die • vi • maii ■ Size 44. (Figure 5.) 

Papafava was the family name, but was seldom used. Marsiglietto is said by some 
to have been a descendant of a collateral branch. His reign lasted but a few weeks, 
and he was assassinated by Giacomo, (son of Nicolo.) 

GIACOMO— IL MINORE. 

Obv. Bust to left in a draped hood, iacobvs minor de carr • v • pata- 
vii • d • ann • m • ccc • xlv. Rev. Arms similar to I., having leaves falling 
on either side, as on that, but a different crest above the helmet. • inter- 
fect • ann • mcccl • die xvini iv l • Size 45. (Figure 6.) 

Giacomo the Second succeeded in preserving the secret of his kinsman's death, 
until he had secured the seals of office and the fortresses of the territory ; he then 
claimed the sovereignty as his of right, and was proclaimed Duke by the people. He 
is said to have shown greater wisdom and moderation than any of his predecessors, but 
was finally assassinated by an illegitimate son of one of his uncles, whose excesses he 
was striving to repress. 

GIACOMINO. 

Obv. Bust to right, in a draped hood. iacobinvs de carr ■ vi . pata- 
vii • do • anno • m • cccl • Rev. Arms as on the preceding, but a still 
different crest. The arms, helmet and foliage of this and the preceding 
are more nearly like those on I. in general style, having few if any 
blossoms in the foliage, obiit ann • mccc • lvii . Size 45. (Figure 7.) 

Giacomino, (or Jacopino, as the name is sometimes spelled), was a brother of the 
preceding Duke, whom he succeeded jointly with Francesco, the son of Giacomo II. 
After five years of perfect harmony between them, the latter discovered that his uncle 
was plotting his destruction, and dethroned and imprisoned him in 1355. 



THE CARRARA MEDALS. 7 

FRANCESCO I. 

Obv. Naked bust to right, the head bare, and showing to the waist. 
franciscvs • senior • DR • carraria • d • pad • Rev. Head of a satyr-winged 
bust to left, with flowing drapery, enclosing the shield with the family 
device, and memo on a scroll, and an ox kneeling below ; h h in the 
field on each side. qvi • svm • civi • beni • rexit • an • xxxvn • m • vim • d • v • 
Size 45. (Figure 8.) 

Francesco I. reigned, as mentioned above, for five years conjointly with his uncle 
Giacomino, and alone, after 1355. In 1354 he commanded the army of the Lombard 
League. In his wars with the Visconti he met with various successes and reverses, 
finally arousing the enmity of the Republic of Venice, on account of the aid he ren- 
dered to Louis of Hungary, who invaded their territory, as a result of which he was 
compelled to accept a humiliating peace. Soon after he allied himself with the Genoese 
and the King of Hungary, and took part in the war of Chiozza, (1378-81,) which 
brought Venice to the brink of ruin. In the year 1388 that city formed an alliance 
with the Visconti, the Marquis of Ferrara, and the Lord of Mantua, against him. His 
city was attacked and captured, May 19, 1388, and by the perfidy of Giovanni Galeazzo 
Visconti, he was despoiled of all his possessions, which he had greatly enlarged, and 
confined in the castle of Como, where he died, October 16, 1393. 



FRANCESCO II. 

Obv. Draped bust to left, the head bare, franciscvs ivnior de carr • 
vui • patavii • d • ann • mcccxc • Rev. Satyr-like figure as on the preced- 
ing, enclosing the Carrara arms, below which is a quartered globe, sur- 
mounted by a scroll, on which levxanza. die xix ian • necat • an • mccccvi • 
Size 45. (Figure 9.) 

Francis II. was the son of Francis I. After his father's overthrow he traveled 
extensively through Northern Italy and Germany, forming alliances by which he regained 
Padua in June, 1390. After a war of two years he obliged his enemies to acknowledge 
his claims, and he restored for a short period the power of his family. Having invaded 
Verona in 1404, he was attacked by Venice, losing his city, October 21, 1405. Taken 
captive with his children, he was imprisoned at Venice, and there assassinated by order 
of the Council of Ten, January 19, 1406. Some authorities say that he was strangled: 
the word necatus may be taken to imply that the manner of his death was a dis- 
grace to those who caused it. One of his sons, Marsiglio, vainly endeavored to regain 
Padua, but at last perished on the scaffold, and with him ended the ducal house of 
Carrara, though collateral branches bearing the family name of Papafava, still survive. 



s 



THE CARRARA MEDALS. 



I have followed the dates on the Medals in preference to those given by the authorities 
from which the historical notes have been compiled, as seeming to have the greater 
probability of accuracy. The death of Francesco II. for instance is given by 
Woodward & Gates, Encyclopedia of Chronology, as February 17, 1406. The true 
date was very likely kept secret, as the " Council of Ten " surrounded all their acts 
with mystery. 

There is still another Medal, an impression of which is in the cabinet 
of Mr. A. Balmanno, one of the Vice Presidents of the American Numis- 
matic and Archaeological Society of New York, and which is considered 
by some numismatists to bear a certain relation to the Carrara series. A full 
account of this piece is given by Bolzenthal, in a work cited by Dr. 
Anthon, and a translation of which is printed, with a cut of the Medal, 
in the American Journal of Numismatics, Vol. XIII., pp. 4 and 5. To 
this we refer those who care to pursue the subject, only calling attention 
to the fact that it would appear from this passage that there are others 
still, having reference to Francesco Carrara the younger, and to the closing 
remark of the article, from which we infer that a portion if not all of these 
are of such "recent origin that Brunati, who has collected the memo- 
rials of the Carrara family with diligence and success, rejects them without 
hesitation." 




LB N TM 



